Automatic carrier for electric wires.



No. 628,994. Patented IuIy I8, I899.

F. T. SCHOTTLE & H. c. WILLITZ.

AUTOMATIC CARRIER FOR ELECTRIC WIRES.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 1899.; Modem I 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented July 18, I899.

'F. T. SCI-IOTTLE &. H. C. WILLITZ. AUTOMATIC CARRIER FDR ELECTRIC WIRES. (Application filed Mar. 3, 1899.) (N0 M -J 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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FRANK 'r. SCHOTTLE AND HER AN c. wILLiTz, or SnEBoveAN, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATICCARRIER FOR ELECTRIC WIRE S.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 628,994, dated July 18, 1899. Application filed March 3, 1899. Serial No. 707,622. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK T. SCHOTTLE and HERMAN C. l/VILLITZ, of Sheboygan, in the county of Sheboygan and State of \Visconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Carriers, of which the following is a description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

In putting up electric wires for telegraphs,

telephones, or other purposes it often occurs that a wire is to be run across a considerable space, as over a street or river, from one means of support to another means of support and where one line of wire is already stretched or can be readily stretched, and our carrier is especially adapted for automatically carrying a cord or wire across such space by the aid of such theretofore-strung wire or cord.

Our invention consists of the device, its parts, and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, or their equivalents.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a fragment of a wire stretched across a space and ourimproved automatic carrier in connection therewith, illustrating the method in which it is used, the box-like case of the carrier being shown in longitudinalsection. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of our automatic carrier. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the actuating mechanism of the carrier, the top of thecase and parts above the case being removed. Fig. 4 is a view of a fragment of the end of the case at the left in Figs. 1 and 2 and the supporting device mounted thereon at that end of the case. Fig. 5 is a fragment of the case near the end at the right in Figs. 1 and 2, with the supporting device at that end of the case therewith.

In the drawings, A represents a wire stretched across a space as, for instance, from the top of one building to the top of another building on the opposite side of a street-and with which our automatic carrier is adapted to be used.

The principal parts of the mechanism of our carrier are preferably inclosed by and conveniently supported in a box-like case 10, advisably made of heavy sheet metal. The carrier is supported and travels on the Wire or taut cord Aby means of the grooved sheaves or pulleys 11 11, mounted revolubly a little above the case in hangers l2 12, secured to the top of the oase, one near each extremity thereof. The hanger 12 is pivoted near its lower extremity to the case, and an arm 13, secured rigidly to the lower extremity of the hanger 12, projects downwardly therefrom, and a coiled-wire spring 14, attached thereto at one end, is provided at its other extremity with a hook or latch adapted to engage any one of several teeth or catches 15 on the top of the case adjacent to a slot through which the stem of the hook of the spring extends. A ring 16, attached to the hook on the spring, serves as a convenient handle for pulling up on the spring and shifting the hook into engagement with one or another of the catches l5.

A frame for supporting the driving mechanism in our carrier consistso'f the side plates 17, suspendedfrom the top of the case 10' and connected together by cross-bars 18. The driving mechanism consists of a .mainspring 19, secured at one end to the frame conveniently to a cross-bar 18 and coiled about and seen red at the otherend to the shaft 20, which shaft 20 is provided with a toothed wheel meshing with a pinion on shaft 21, which shaft 21 is provided also with a large cogwheel meshing with'a pinion on shaft 22, this shaft 22 being provided with a large cogwheel meshing with a pinion on shaft 23 and the shaft 23 being provided with a large cog-' wheel meshingwith a pinion on the pulleyshaft 24, which pulley-shaft 24 is provided with a grooved pulley 25, projecting upwardly through a'slot in the cover of the caselO centrally and being adapted to bear against the wire A between the sheaves 11 and 11. The large cog-wheel 20 is revolubly loose on the shaft 20, but is provided with a pawl 26, that engages in one direct-ion the teeth of a ratchetwheel 27, fixed on the shaft 20. A shaft 28, provided with a pinion meshing with a wheel 29, fixed on the shaft 20, is provided with a detachable crankhandle 30, by means of which the attendant can wind up the spring 19, putting it in condition to exert the power by its resilience necessary fordriving the carrier. A stop 31, pivoted on the under side of the top of the case, is adapted to. besw'ung into a slot or notch in the pulley and to engage the pulley, thereby preventing the running of the operative mechanism. This lock is applied at the time of winding up of the power-spring and until the carrier is in position on the line-wire to be permitted to travel on it. A ring'32, attached to the case at the rear end, is a convenient means for connecting to the case the cord or wire 33, that is to be carried across the space.

This automatic motor is of such small size as to be conveniently carried about by a person, and when about to be put in use the spring 19 is wound up, the mechanism being locked by the stop 31, and thereupon the cord 33, that is to be carried across the space, is attached to the carrier, and the carrier is then mounted on the line-wire A by carrying the sheaves 11 11 over the wire and bringing the carrier into place under the wire in such manner that the pulley 25 will bear upwardly against the line-Wire. In placing the carrier in position on the line-wire A the hanger 12 v is swung to a vertical position on its pivot,

and when in such position both the sheave 11 and the sheave 11 are so high above the carrier-case 10 that the sheaves 11 11 can be readily placed on top of the line-wire A, and the pulley 25 can be conveniently brought into position underneath the line wire. Thereupon on releasing the hanger 12 the spring 14 will so tilt the hanger 12 as to lift the front end of the case and bring the pul-. ley 25 firmly up against the line-wire between the sheaves l1 and 11. Thereupon by moving the stop 31 out of engagement with the pulley 25 the spring 19 will set the train of gears and the pulley 25 in motion, causing the carrier to travel ahead on the line-wire A to its destination.

The 'member 10 is preferably made in the lated parts.

case or box-like form shown, in which form it serves not only the principal purpose of a frame or support for other parts. of the carrier, but also as a cover or case for the mechanism, protecting it from dust and injury. Its chief purpose, however, is as a frame or support for the operative mechanism and readapted to support said case movably on a stretched wire, a hanger for one of said pulleys mounted tiltably on the case and a spring adapted to tilt said hanger relative to said case bringing the pulley therein against a supporting line-wire.

3. In a carrier, a case, a pu1ley-hangerpivoted on the case, a spring attached to an arm fixed to the hanger, a hook at the other extremity of the spring, and catches on the case adapted to take the hook on the spring.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK T. SCHOTTLE. HERMAN O. VVILLITZ. WVitnesses:

RUDOLPH NELSON, A. H. EOKHARDT. 

